Celtics Notebook: C's welcome back Lee

Saturday

Mar 30, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 30, 2013 at 4:49 AM

Courtney Lee pronounced himself good to go before the game after getting through some one-on-one play Thursday, the Friday morning shootaround, and Friday’s pregame shooting without any additional swelling in his left ankle. Lee had missed the previous three games after twisting the ankle late in last Friday’s loss at Dallas.

Scott Souza/Daily News staff

For one of the first times in a long time on Friday night, the Celtics were able to welcome someone back from the injured ranks rather than have to figure out how to deal with yet another unavailable player.

Courtney Lee pronounced himself good to go before the game after getting through some one-on-one play Thursday, the Friday morning shootaround, and Friday’s pregame shooting without any additional swelling in his left ankle. Lee had missed the previous three games after twisting the ankle late in last Friday’s loss at Dallas.

Lee said before the game against the Hawks he expected to come off the bench, which Celtics coach Doc Rivers later confirmed.

"It’s tough anytime you bring a guy back when he hasn’t had a practice," Rivers said, "and didn’t even get a chance to play a lot of one-on-one. Then you worry about his wind, and his rhythm, and everything. I’m just happy he’s available and we have him back."

Lee checked into the game for the first time with 2:46 left in the first quarter.

Rivers had expressed optimism at Monday’s practice that Lee might be back as early as Tuesday’s game with New York. But he wound up missing an additional two games under the advice of Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte.

"That was just me saying that I wanted to play, and I was going to go out there and play, and not knowing the (extent) of the sprain," Lee said. "Ed said that I could play, but that it would be the smart decision not to in order to make sure it doesn’t linger on, especially because this last stretch going into the playoffs is important."

Lee injured the ankle when he stepped on the foot of Mavericks guard Mike James while defending him late in a close game. Boston had cut a 12-point deficit down to five in the final two minutes when Lee went down along the sideline. The Mavericks played out the five-on-four possession with O.J. Mayo hitting what was essentially the game-clinching 3-pointer.

Lee caught a public jab from teammate Jason Terry – before Terry knew the extent of the injury – after the game when Terry said he was thinking during the play: "Get your ass up (unless) your bone is sticking out of there. I don’t know how he’s feeling right now, but we’re trying to win a game."

Lee said before Friday’s game he tried.

"We were making a run," Lee acknowledged. "I tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I saw the play (from the floor) when Mayo caught the ball and hit the 3. It was a big play."

Lee said he tested out the ankle against Celtics video coordinator Kwame Graves-Fulgham on Thursday and was anxious to see how it would respond in the heat of the game.

"Kwame’s an excellent ball-handler," Lee said. "I went out and guarded him a couple of times. If you can stay in front of him, I think you’ll be ready. He put me to the test. But I took his cookies.

"Playing against Kwame I felt I did a good job. But it’s different when you’ve got the adrenaline, and the other team is going full speed. They’re running off picks, and it’s non-stop movement."

Milestone start

Chris Wilcox started for the second straight game Friday on the one-year anniversary of season-ending heart surgery to repair an enlarged aorta.

"Now no more excuses - that’s what I told him today," Rivers joked before the game. "I didn’t give him the love I think he was looking for.

"But it’s really cool. I think we do forget that he had the same surgery (as Jeff Green), and a lot later than Jeff. It’s good that he’s here and it’s good that he’s playing."

Scott Souza can be reached at 781-398-8006 or ssouza@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @scott_souza.

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